Breast Implants and Pregnancy Questions Answered

Those that are planning to become pregnant, are pregnant or have recently given birth may have questions about breast implants and pregnancy. Questions like, “does pregnancy ruin breast implants?” or “does breast augmentation have to be redone after pregnancy?” are common in pregnancy circles. And because pregnancy and breastfeeding can change the size, shape and look of your breasts, many women may elect to have breast implants after their surgery.

For those that already have breast implants, they may be worried about how those implants will hold up, as well as if the breast implants are safe during breastfeeding. The good news is that the breast implants themselves will be fine during and after pregnancy. Even if breast tissue grows around the implants due to rising estrogen and progesterone levels during pregnancy, breast implants can withstand these changes and resist deflating, ruptures and leakages.

That said, it’s not uncommon for existing breast implants to be affected in some way by pregnancy due to natural weight gain and other factors. After expanding and contracting during and after pregnancy, breasts may start to sag or change shape, though the actual effects are unique for each woman and some women may see no noticeable change at all.

Should You Wait To Get Pregnant After Breast Implants?

For most women, it’s best to wait to get pregnant after breast implants because of the recovery time associated with the surgery. However, the minimum amount of recovery from a breast augmentation only takes about six to eight weeks, so you won’t have to wait long. That said, if you’d like your breasts to fully heal before getting pregnant, you may want to wait for three to six months after the surgery.

If you happen to get pregnant immediately following a breast implant surgery, it’s best to discuss your options with your doctor so that they can monitor you and help minimize complications.

Can You Breastfeed with Breast Implants?

If you’ve already undergone breast implant surgery and you’re concerned about breastfeeding, note that it depends on how your breast augmentation surgery was performed, though most women should notice no issue. That’s because breast implants are placed either under the breast tissue or under the muscle, meaning that they won’t interfere with the duct function of your breasts.

However, if you had a breast augmentation surgery that cut across the areolae or nipple area, the milk ducts may have been harmed during surgery, which can affect milk production and your ability to breastfeed. Implants that are placed above the breast muscle can also affect how much milk you’re able to produce after pregnancy. Furthermore, some patients report losing sensation in the breast or nipple, which can make nursing difficult as the biological functions of releasing hormones and triggering letdown may be hampered.

But as for the act of breastfeeding — it’s safe, as long as you’re physically able to do it.

Does Pregnancy Ruin Breast Implants?

It depends, though it won’t be solely because of your breast implants. Due to how the breasts naturally change during pregnancy, breast implants may shift and sag during pregnancy and after giving birth. However, no real changes should occur to your breast implants themselves even if you gain weight or engage in breastfeeding.

Can You Restore Implants After Pregnancy?

Some breast augmentation procedures are actually designed to help restore breast implants after pregnancy. Time is also a factor and can affect how breast implants look, and that leads many women to revisit their implants about once every 10 years. If it’s been years since your last procedure, you may want to schedule a breast augmentation after giving birth to help you return to a desired firmness and look following a recent pregnancy.

Should You Wait Until After Having Kids To Get Breast Implants?

While there are many factors that go into the decision to get breast implants, it can help to opt for breast implants after having kids rather than before your pregnancy. Additionally, if you’re actively trying to get pregnant, you may want to hold off on breast implants until after your child is born because of the effect of surgery. Note that you shouldn’t get breast implants while you’re pregnant, but that you should feel free to get breast implants before or after your pregnancy.

Generally, you can get breast implants before becoming pregnant without affecting the pregnancy or birth — or the health of your child — though you’ll likely want to give yourself about a year so that everything can fully heal before your body switches over from healing to the pregnancy. As for getting breast implants after pregnancy, it’s a good idea to wait until after you’re done nursing so that you can get the best results for your specific needs.

Breast Implants Before and After Pregnancy

Whether you decide to opt for breast implants before or after pregnancy, there are certain risks to keep in mind. Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure and the breast implants themselves are not designed to last forever. As already mentioned, many women take advantage of this to revisit their breast implants every 10 years or so, though it’s still possible that implants can move, leak or rupture over time. If you notice any significant changes with your breast implants, including if your implants become more visible, painful or they shift or otherwise change shape, you may need to revisit your implants.

Typically, breast implants are safe and will change with your body during pregnancy. However, post-pregnancy is often a great time to revisit those older implants, helping to shape your breasts for your new, post-pregnancy body. However, if you plan on losing weight or are eyeing other procedures following a birth, you may want to hold off a breast augmentation procedure to get the best aesthetic result.

Talk to a Qualified Breast Augmentation Surgeon

When in doubt, it’s often best to discuss your needs and concerns with a qualified breast augmentation surgeon. Here at the Quinn Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Center, we’ve seen and done it all, and we can advise you of the best course of action whether you have breast implants and are planning on getting pregnant or you’re coming off a pregnancy and want to see what your post-partum options are. Schedule a consultation or contact us today!